New Delhi, Apr 30 (PTI) A colourful mural made by a group
of deaf persons in the city has literally put this writing on
the wall -- deafness is normal and sign language is not a
taboo.

Braving the scorching sun, about 30 youths, including two
deaf American trainers, laboured for hours yesterday to turn a
portion of a dull exterior wall of a prominent flyover in
south Delhi into a vibrant canvas, embedded with a loud and
clear social message.

"We do not want to be seen as someone inferior to anyone,
we do not want be labelled as 'Oh that poor guy'. This
exercise is a quest for achieving inclusivity and equality in
a society that is still not ready to put us on an even keel.

This artwork, therefore, aptly called 'Understanding Deaf
Culture'," says Alim Chandani, who runs a training centre for
the deaf in Hauz Khas.

Chandani, 35, himself deaf, says, he was based in the US
and came back to India three months ago to start the centre.

He detests the use of the word "hearing-impaired".

"Please just call us deaf, it is fine with us. Do not put
us into some exclusive clubs, it is not flattering. This art
has been done by deaf persons, and even the US trainers from
the centre, who are helping them, are also deaf.

"We want to send out a message that we are capable of
doing thing just as anyone else can. We hope to send out a
positive message to people," he told PTI, with the help of an
interpreter.

The street art is themed on sign language and many of the
volunteers also wore special t-shirt wearing slogans like
'Sign language is beautiful', 'I Can Sign' and '#CanDo'.

Yesterday, many intrigued commuters slowed their vehicles
near the flyover wall, as the volunteers were seen
communicating with each other using hand gestures.

Amanda, one of the American trainers, who hails from
Chicago, says, "Sign language is still a taboo, whether in
India or the US."

"Why are we seen as less than anyone else? The only way
the society thinks we can be brought to some level of
normalcy, if I may say so, is by use of cochlear implant. But
we can use sign language too and we communicate just fine.

But society thinks sign language is some kind of an
aberration," she says.

The flyover, between Hotel Oberoi and Nizamuddin Basti,
is a busy one, and the mural, with its brilliant portrayal of
use of sign language, stands out in a riot of colours.

Shivoy Sharma, the interpreter, says, "My parents are
deaf, so sign language is my mother tongue, no one taught me
or trained me in it. As a child, I first made the sign of milk
to my mother, rather than uttering the word. The universe of
the deaf is fascinating, only if we were a bit more
sensitive."

Pointing to the mural, he says, "The idea is simple yet
powerful. You see, the woman rubbing a finger right beneath
her nose, that means pride ('naak unchi' as we say). Then the
birds flying on wings of hands, suggests how sign language can
empower them. This art work will make people stand back and
take notice."

Chandani says the project has been supported by a telecom
major as part of their corporate social responsibility
activity.

"These 30 people have done a number of activities,
including reading, writing and thematic quizzes, and this wall
art was the last, before they graduated on Saturday. Now, they
will go out as self-empowered and face life high on
confidence," he adds.

Artist Yogesh Saini of Delhi Street Art says, "Our
organisation is helping them with the art work. And we also
assisted in getting all clearance from various authorities."

"Besides this project, our organisation recently also did
two portion of the walls beneath the flyover in front of
Moolchand Hospital.

"So,

the idea also is to transform dull public spaces so
that people engage more with their surrounding. These fellows
from the deaf training centre are doing something worth
noticing, and I hope the message will reach to the masses," he
said.